As much as I hate to admit it, I, along with the majority of my generation have become undeniably engrossed in TikTok. If you asked me this a year ago I would claim it was cringy thinking all that existed on the app was shirtless teenagers doing dances in front of a camera, but as it turns out the app has much more to offer. While I may hold slight pride in myself holding off downloading the app until late 2020, knowing the time consuming fate that would meet me with a click, the addictibility of the app is truly apparent and well, maybe slightly concerning. Often when discussing TikTok the conversation quickly trends towards the negative aspects of the app and I am first to admit my haste in judging it’s toxicity. Tik Tok’s possible harmful effects on teenagers and young adults self esteem, body image, false sense of a perfect reality shown by the new age influencers, shortening attention spans, encouraging harmful diet culture, suppressing black content creators, and not to mention cancel culture. Clearly this list goes on and on and I’m not here to deny these evident detriments that come with the app, because they are problems that should be discussed and do matter.
The fact of the matter is myself and many other young people will shrug off these detriments as inevitable side effects of social media use and continue to chanell probably too much of their free time into using the app. The all encompassing effects TikTok has had on our popular culture providing a collective sense of self are undeniable and personally I believe not all inherently negative.
This may be a hot take, and I do not mean the positives to outweigh or discredit the negatives, but the popularity of TikTok came to fruition in a time where people felt more isolated than ever before, providing a sense of security and community which speaks volumes.
TikTok’s peak and the Covid-19 crisis occurred simultaneously providing a sense of community while some felt more isolated than ever. With the feelings of distress and uncertainty afforded by the pandemic, many turned to TikTok for mindless entertainment watching seemingly normal people’s viral videos. The comedic relief and relatability inspired people to connect often questioning if others have had similar experiences. Viral recipes have allowed people to try new foods and possibly experience foods they would have never tried or thought they were capable of making before. Viral workouts have encouraged people to stay active and begin a health journey with others. The infamous specificity of TikTok algorithms have brought together people who share niche interests and can relate in ways they were not previously able to with real life connections. TikTok has also been used as an instrument to amplify the voices of marginalized groups’ experiences of injustice whether racially, based on sexual orientation, gender identity, etc., providing a sense of community among strangers who show allyship or share similar experiences. For the career driven users there are plenty of profiles that provide helpful career advice including resume building and how to grow your network as well as pages that offer tips on the application process to those who may need guidance.
While I do suggest keeping the time spent on TikTok to a minimum and taking a break if it becomes detrimental, I offer these topics as a comprehensive guide to the positive side of TikTok.